Muriaticum acidum; a case of gastroesophageal reflux in a newborn

by Didier Grandgeorge

C. was born on the 26th November 2007, the third child in a
healthy family, after a long and painful labour at Hyeres Hospital: 18 hours of
contractions and back pain labour without epidural. Birth weight: 3470g.

Right from the start, C’s mother noticed that something was wrong:
constant colic, small episodes of cyanosis, and hypothermia. The duty doctor
thought it could be a milk allergy and persuaded the mother to breastfeed. The
child was kept in under observation, for a few days.

C. came out of hospital on the 8th day; all seems to be fine
clinically.

The next day, however, while the mother is changing C., she becomes suddenly
very ill with a serious cyanosis, her eyes roll, and she stops breathing until
the mother stimulates her to get her started again. The Hospital paediatrician
is immediately consulted and the child has two more serious episodes before
admission to the ward. Oxygen is given and C.’s heart is monitored.

It is soon discovered that the cardio-vascular tests are fine but a
gastroesophageal acid reflux shows up on x-ray, with a gastric fold and an open
cardiac sphincter.

C. is given antacid treatment and must stay
upright at all time; as soon as one tries to lay her down, an imediate large
gastric reflux occurs, even with the allopathic medicine.

A paediatric surgeon from Marseille is consulted, who
thinks it best not to intervene until she has gained some weight.

Meanwhile, despite the treatment, C. continues
to twist and turn in pain and occassionally has short cyanoses. This situation
prompts the parents to consult a homeopath in Hyeres, who prescribes
Asafoetida, Argentum nitricum, Nitricum acidum, Arsenicum album, and Conium maculatum, with no significant result.

Three weeks later, C. is still not thriving and is
still in hospital. The parents ask for hospital transport to my consultation room
in Frejus, which is refused by the peadiatric doctor who considers this case as strictly
physical and which can only be solved by surgery. He kindly phones me to
explain his position.

I suggest that the parents come to see me anyway,
without their daughter, and an appointment is made for 21 December 07.

My first question is: “Tell me about your pregnancy?”

The mother then tells me that her main worry during
the pregnancy was her own mother, who was in the final stages of a cancer that had spread
all over. During the whole pregnancy,
her mother’s main talk was: “I have to hang on to see this baby!”

It so happens that on my shelves I have a materia
medica by Hahnemann, translated by Jourdan at the begining of the 19th century. I had
already, from another case, looked at the pathology of Muriaticum acidum (chloric
acid in 30CH) and here he notes: “The fourth night, I dream that my
mother is dying.” (Sx 545 ) To my knowledge this is the only materia medica
that mentions the ‘death of my mother’; it is not even mentioned in Kent’s
repertory, where one can only find: ‘dreams, death, relatives of.’

Analysis

While pregnant, the mother is stressed by the fear that her mother may well die
and enters a ‘Muriaticum acidum” state. As a result, her unborn child puts her
own life in danger with a gastric reflux of hydrocloric acid and, indeed, she
will need hydrochloric acid, but in homeopathic doses!!!!

Prescription

Accordingly, I prescribe Muriaticum Acidum in ascending doses : 15, 18, 24,
30CH, one dose every other day to be taken by the mother, who is
breastfeeding.

Follow ups

The situation improves very quickly: three days later, the child is no longer
having episodes of cyanosis, she is able to lie down, and is discharged from
hospital.

I follow C. every threee months : there is no more
problem. The allopathic treatments are stopped within the first month and six
months later, she is a healthy baby, weighing 6950g.

Conclusion

Homeopathic treatment can be very effective, even in
cases seen as purely physical. To get the right prescription for a newborn baby,
it is imperative to question the mother about her pregnancy. To know the
picture, the feel of a remedy is a PLUS, and this research has amazed me and helped
me to get straight to the heart of the problem.

how wonderful case it is.and useful to me to know how i will give medicines this thpe of cases

than u

Posts: 6

Re:Reply #5 on : Mon July 09, 2012, 06:06:46

Wonderful to read once again such a successful case . this is how we were trained ~ always find out how the pregnancy affected the mother and of course one of Rajan Sankaran ideas too. One can often cure the infant with a remedy just based on this period.

Posts: 6

Chronic urticariaReply #4 on : Mon June 18, 2012, 14:35:38

I happen to see this article to day only (18th June 2012). I could learn and understand the method and selection of the medicine from you. A great Dr. like you will be the service to the humanity.
I would like to know from you to treat a Urticaria patient suffering for a year.
If you can guide me.

Sir I read your story in detail and observe that we need intelligent, experienced, and ethical homoeopathic practitioner like you.
For the bright future of homoeopathy I get more lesson from your story and, being a young homoeopathic doctor, I am reading, listening, and studying from your article
Thanks
From
Doctor Faisal

Last Edit: September 04, 2011, 07:45:34 by mache

Posts: 6

queReply #2 on : Sat October 02, 2010, 02:44:00

Why don't you give the medicine directly to the child? Is the remedy Muriatic acid that of that the child or that of the mother?